Allgrena is an project by Franz Nigl from Vienna. I first encountered Allgrena on the ‘Wo die Wilden Kerle wohnen’ split single, with Allerseelen, Novy Svet and Der Blutharsch. This cd “Tonräder” is already a few years old, but deserves some attention. This is real industrial music, with iron and steel percussion and factory noises. Some tracks are actually performed live in urban locations, like in a bunker, a gasometer tower and the canals of Vienna. The music is not harsh or heavy, but rather subdued and tranquil, with a ritual, even ‘ethnic’ effect. No wonder Allgrena uses the term ‘industrial trance’.
The music is not smooth, but sounds raw and somewhat improvised, without clear song structures. Guest musicians that play clarinette and violin fit in perfectly with the metallic noises, piano sounds and the various samples, like water and other nature sources. I must say I’m quite impressed by this album. It’s experimental but not inaccessible. New sounds emerge constantly, and the songs are not melodic, but remain coherent nevertheless. I like the ritual effect of the music, the variation in sound material and the raw industrial feel. A captivating and hypnotizing sound sculpture. A nice adventure in the abandoned urban underground.